Help in updating to get official free DLCs and keeping Skyrim SE 1.5.9.7

[hotrack]

I run a MO2 Skyrim SE 1.5.9.7 load order, disabled auto-update when the impending AE announcement came (to never update the original game files), and generally play offline. Some mods that require masters to vanilla AE DLC mods like USSEP I manually xEdit to remove their overrides/links to their masters.

I'm thinking of updating to get the official free DLCs, but keeping my 1.5.9.7 version a la Best of Both Worlds, without needing to use the downgrade patcher (as I am already on 1.5.9.7).

What files/folders should I backup and then copy back to accomplish this?

Edited January 19, 2024 by hotrack

[hotrack]

52 minutes ago, StrayedLINX said:

I think a lot of those DLC's call to the vanilla ESM's, and any edits made in the main Skyrim ESM's
Running DLC that tries to call to records/edits that dont exist in 1.5.9.7 would cause crashes.
The same way if you were to make a fake ESP to get arround master requirements for other mods
If the mod calls for CC DLC, and there is no SE/1.5.9.7 Version, then I don't think you can run it without updating fully to AE.

I don't use AE, so I can't fully confirm that they'd not work
As for USSEP, you should really be using the latests version for 1.5.9.7 rather than making edits to the AE version, A link to the archived can be found on Nexus here

I may have confused the issue by explaining how I keep my 1.5.9.7 with the latest USSEPs, as the method I use to edit USSEP does use fake master/plugins (later cleaned), of which those records become injected records/records with missing errors, which are then removed, and appropriate edits are made where it's required.

I'm pretty sure any Steam update will update the vanilla ESMs anyway.

I'm of the opinion that there'll be less of a problem to any USSEP updates down the line if I do update and keep the 1.5.9.7 executables.

[davisev5225]

This reeks of piracy.  I'm not a moderator, so I can only ask:  folks, please don't provide assistance here.

[traison]

There's a few legit ways to do this:

 

Backup, update, restore

1. Backup everything Skyrim related. Game directory, ini files, what else?
2. (optionally) Create checksums of all files: md5summer, md5deep64.
3. Let Steam update:
   1. This can be done either the normal way of launching the game from Steam while online, or by verifying local files. The first option may brick your loadorder and ini settings.
   2. Using the hidden Steam console to manually download current depot manifests.
4. (optionally) Compare checksums to current files to create a list of changed and created files.
5. Selectively restore files. Some updated files you may want to keep, some you obviously don't.

Isolate (VM or separate physical machine), and copy over

1. (optional) Find VM software that supports Steam. Steam may be hardware accelerated, so this may not be as easy as it sounds.
2. Install a trial version of Windows 10/11 if one still exists.
3. Install Steam and Skyrim.
4. (optional) Create checksums of your current Skyrim files, and of those in the other (virtual?) machine.
5. (optional) Compare checksums to find changed and created files.
6. Selectively copy the files over to your actual machine.

Isolate (Sandbox), and copy over

1. Get some sandboxing software, such as Sandboxie.
2. Run Steam in a new sandbox.
3. Let it update Skyrim.
4. (optional) Create checksums of your current Skyrim files, and of those in the sandbox.
5. (optional) Compare checksums to find changed and created files.
6. Selectively copy the files over from the sandbox.

Isolate (Temporary OS), and copy over

1. Put your favorite Debian or Arch flavour on a USB stick and boot from it.
2. The rest I'm not going to explain, as if you got this far you already know.

 

Which one would I pick? Depending on how paranoid I'm feeling, I'd either boot into linux or pick the sandbox plan. Both relatively easy and unintrusive (from my pov) and both result in Steam being oblivious to what happened afterwards - just the way I like my Steam: locked up and unaware.

 

If you want to optimize your backup because of storage space constraints you could go through steamdb, working your way up from the version you have to the version you intend to download (which is obviously the most recent one unless you use a method that allows you to specify). Aggregate your findings into lists of changed and created files, so that you can create smart backups.

[hotrack]

19 hours ago, traison said:

Which one would I pick? Depending on how paranoid I'm feeling, I'd either boot into linux or pick the sandbox plan. Both relatively easy and unintrusive (from my pov) and both result in Steam being oblivious to what happened afterwards - just the way I like my Steam: locked up and unaware.

 

Thanks for the input! Opt 1 and 3 (with optional checksum steps) are the most appealing to me. But I think I'll hold off with the recent drop of 1.6.1170, had expected 1130 won't stay for long.